Follow The Leader
by Radical Princess
Summary: We all know the prophesy about the one who Voldemort would mark as his equal. But there was another prophesy, a less public prophesy, about the one who Voldemort would look up to, as a leader...
1. In his Father's Footsteps

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter, books or movie. I think I kinda own the plot of this story, sort of...

Author's Note- Hello all of you wonderful people who clicked on the title of this story and is reading this right now. If you haven't read the fifth book yet then the prophecy part might not make sense. That part isn't in this chapter though. Anyway, I would just like to tell you all that the first chapter is a little bit short, I know that. The chapters will get longer as the story continues. I just thought that this is a good first chapter, short and to the point. Sort of... anyway this is kind of like a prologue, except that it is not a prologue, it is the first chapter. Is anyone confused now? You should be! Anyway, some of the characters are a little out of character, that is not because I am a bad writer... well I am a bad writer, but I had to change some of the characters a little bit. Not really in this chapter, but in later chapters you will know what I'm talking about.

Anyone who didn't understand a word of that, don't worry. That's just me being crazy. This is the actual story, enjoy! I hope you do!

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Chapter 1- In his Father's Footsteps

A cloaked figure snuck almost silently around the back street building of Mayor Town in the middle of night. He did not stop unless it was to check if he was being followed, or to hide from the few people who were still outside on this black, cloudy night. His cloak covered his face and hung down to his feet. As he edged along the deserted street the cloak swayed with his movement. He stopped walking suddenly and then disappeared. To anyone who had been watching him it would have seemed as if he had vanished into thin air. He had in fact cleverly let himself into a door on the side of the building. As he walked into the room he found that everyone else was already there.

"A bit late there then, not a very good sign on your first day, is it?"

The voice was enough to give anyone an excuse to run away, but the clocked figure turned slowly to see Voldemort sitting majestically on a chair, all his most trustworthy Death Eaters, circling him. "Lucius was always here on time..."

Draco felt himself shaking, hoping that The Dark Lord would not think he was unworthy. After a few moments of silence he realized that it was his turn to speak. "I am sorry sir; I have not had my apparating test yet. It has only been a year since I finished school. I had to sneak through the streets..."

"Not making excuses are we?" Voldemort interrupted cruelly.

Draco shook his head quickly, hoping again that Voldemort might be feeling generous today. After a few minutes it was clear that he wasn't going to be punished.

Voldemort looked him up and down as if deciding if he would do. "You know why you're here, don't you?"

"Yes, Lord." Draco answered quickly.

"Good, hopefully you will become as useful as Lucius, over time. If only Azkaban hadn't killed him. He was one of the best." Voldemort trailed off aimlessly.

Draco stood there uncomfortably, not entirely sure if he was supposed to speak, he decided to keep silent.

"Well, anyway," The Dark Lord began talking again "You have chosen to become a Death Eater. To follow your father's footsteps, you could say." Voldemort laughed cruelly. The other Death Eaters joined in. Draco stood where he was, silently. As the laughter died away Voldemort continued. "You know what it means to be a Death Eater. No one can know that you are one, except other Death Eaters. When you feel the Dark Mark on your arm you must apparate and get to me as soon as you can, oh, wait, you can't apparate." Voldemorts smile widened. "I suppose you'll just have to run along to the street and try to find me." He laughed again, and again was joined the other Death Eaters.

Draco was beginning to think he had made a mistake, coming here. He was easily the youngest of the lot. But he just kept telling himself that The Dark Lord is testing him. He's just testing me...

Voldemort motioned one his Death eaters forward. He was holding a small cauldron and some sort of hot poker that you use for the fire. Draco stared at him, scared. The expression must have shown on his face because Voldemort said, "Not scared are you, all the Death Eaters must have the Dark Mark."

"I'm not scared." Draco stuttered softly. Voldemort's eyes twinkled with cruelty and he ordered the Death Eater forward. The Death Eater put the poker into the substance in the cauldron and then motioned for Draco to lift up his cloak. He did as was asked and turned his face away just as the hot poker contacted is skin. The only thing keeping him from crying out loud was the fact that Voldemort was watching him. He couldn't let Voldemort think that he was weak, he wasn't, and he knew he wasn't.

A few minutes after the Dark Mark had been put on his skin he turned his face back to Voldemort. Voldemort nodded at him. "When I need you, I will call you. If you find information for me, then tell me, you know where I'll be. I hear that you are working at the ministry of Magic. Well that's a very good place to get information from..." Voldemort fell silent and Draco knew that it was his time to leave. He opened the door and slipped quickly outside before closing it again. He was finally what his father had always wanted him to be. He was finally on the winning side of this war, and he was finally going to get revenge on Harry Potter.

-------------- How was that for a first chapter? Good? Bad? Anyway, whatever it was please review. Just remember that this is only the first chapter. Not that much has happened yet. This was mostly like an introduction. Bye everyone!


	2. Thinking day

Disclaimer- I did not write Harry Potter. I did not make the movie. Therefore Harry Potter is not mine and you can't sue me.

Authors Note- Next chapter. Thank you to all those wonderful people who reviewed. I am so proud! This chapter is a little bit short, sorry, I'll try and make the chapters longer as the story goes.

Chapter 2 – Thinking day

Today was the first day of work since Draco had met Lord Voldemort. The first day that he was going into the open, being an official Death Eater. Draco was nervous, if anyone found out, he could be in Azkaban. He had chosen to wear a long sleeved robe, still being very conscious of the Dark mark on his arm. He jumped at every little thing, even someone saying a cheery 'hello' would make his heart beat. Did they know? Would they tell? He realized then that being a Death Eater wasn't just like a chore you did around the house. It was a real job, but there was no retiring, you were working until you died.

All through the day the same questions kept running around his head. Did I make a good decision? What have I got myself into? But then again, this was what his father wanted him to be, this was the only way to get back at Harry Potter.

Draco walked wearily down to lunch at 12:30. Half the day gone, another half to go. He just wanted to get home, where he was safe. Where he could do whatever he wanted. He found a table at his favorite café and waited until a waiter noticed him. He didn't have to wait long; barely 3 minutes had passed before there was a man standing next to him.

"What would you like to order sir?" He said with a little bow.

"Can I please have a coffee and a pumpkin pastry." Draco said quickly. The waiter nodded and left him in peace. As he waited for his food he watched other ministry workers walking around. He recognized quite a few of them from school. He saw Neville nervously looking down the menu and ordering his food to the waiter. He remembered all the times he teased him and smirked silently in his corner. He saw Hermione walking up to Neville and asking to sit with him, everywhere else was full, she said. Draco's smirk disappeared as he saw Neville trying to flirt with Hermione and he subconsciously found himself wishing that she had come to sit with him, his table wasn't full. He shook his head quickly, he was being ridiculous. He hated Hermione just as much as he hated Harry Potter, but thinking about Harry Potter just put his mind back to the Dark Mark on his shoulder and the secret that nobody in this café knew.

"A coffee and a pumpkin pastry." The waiter said, putting each on the table in turn.

Draco nodded and handed to money to the waiter. He ate quickly and kept throwing glancing over to the table where Hermione was sitting. After he finished he walked back to his office trying to avoid as many people as possible. He flopped onto his chair and sighed, how long was this going to last?

Many weeks passed this way, everyday he grew more and more confident until he was back to his self. He told no one his secret and he hadn't heard any news from the Dark Lord for half a year. His life was back to normal. He went to work each day and came back home, he lived alone. In September he took his appararting test and passed. He was now able to apparate to and from work, meaning he could sleep in later. Draco almost forgot about Voldemort and being a Death Eater, if it wasn't for the mark on his arm.

He had just apparated back home from work and was pouring himself a glass of orange juice, when he suddenly dropped the bottle on the floor. But he didn't even look down, he was panicking. The Dark Mark was burning, Voldemort needed him, for the first time in months his whole mind was on that night when he said yes, said yes to devoting his life to the Dark Lord. Draco looked around once before touching the Dark Mark on his arm and apparting.

----------- Sorry if that was mostly just thoughts and stuff, I promise the next chapter will be more interesting. Please review!


	3. Stumbling along his footsteps

Disclaimer- I probably own the plot, unless this has been done before which it probably has been. I own none of the characters or anything like it, I DIDN'T WRITE HARRY POTTER, there, now that's done with…

Author's Note- Sorry for the wait, but I have been having writers block. Anyway, nothing else to say except please read it. Oh wait, and a huge thank you to all my reviewers. I love you all!

Chapter 3 – Stumbling along his footsteps

Draco looked around once before touching the Dark Mark on his arm and apparating.

& & & & &

Draco heard a twig snap and turned around quickly. He let his eyes drift around the dark forest. He noted the branches of the trees, swaying silently in the wind, and the leaves as they rustled softly. He turned his attention on the semi-circle of people standing in the forest clearing. He walked slowly towards them and as he got closer he saw the Dark Lord, standing majestically in the middle. He stood awkwardly outside the circle, not knowing where he fit in. He saw Voldemort nodded silently to an empty spot in the semi-circle and Draco walked quickly to complete the shape.

Voldemort smiled at Draco, "Our newest addition." He said sweeping his eyes over the other Death Eaters. "Yes, Lucius's son, we can only hope he will be as useful…" he trailed off, the group waited quietly, waiting for him to explain what they were doing here tonight. Voldemort continued shortly. "I thought we could have some fun tonight, and see what Malfoy is made off. There is a small muggle mountain village." His arm swept to the right where a few lights where shining through the trees. "I want them dead." He barked. "They don't deserve to live, mudbloods the lot of them." Draco shuddered at the Dark Lords sudden outburst, but what he found most frightening was the thought of killing. It seemed that Voldemort could sense his fear because he turned to him. "Not scared are we Malfoy?"

"No, Lord." Draco answered shakily.

"I will be watching you, to see how you are doing." Voldemort smiled evilly and averted his eyes to the small muggle town. "Let's go…"

He led the way over a small hill until they could see the town properly. He stopped and started to assign people to houses. "Be very quiet, don't leave any alive, this will be the biggest thing we have done in half a year. People will once again fear my name." He nodded and gestured with his hand at the village. The death eaters advanced, each going their separate ways.

Draco crept quietly along the street, his feet making barely any noise on the pavement. His heart was hammering so hard that he was sure someone could hear it. He stopped in front of a door and took two deep breaths of air, begging his heart to slow down and cursing his hands for trembling. He looked to his side where another Death Eater was opening a door.

The Death Eater turned, feeling the stare. He saw Draco looking at him and smiled calmly before entering the house.

Draco cursed himself again, why couldn't he be as calm as him? He thought to himself. He opened the door with trembling hands and took his first step into the house.

"_Lumos_" Draco muttered to his wand. The wand immediately emitted a dull light. He looked around at the living room. He turned his head towards the stairs and silently walked towards them. He took one step up and then paused. So far so good. Another two steps, he paused again. He lifted his foot onto the next step. _Creak_.

"Shit." Draco muttered under his breath, taking his foot of the step and cursing again. He paused for a few seconds, holding his breath. Nothing moved, no sound came from upstairs. Draco sighed and exhaled before taking some more deep breaths and then -

"Is there someone there?"

Draco stood stock still, wishing the owner of the voice to go back to sleep. But his wish wasn't granted as he heard the creaking of floorboards and the rustling of someone throwing back the covers and getting out of bed. Draco looked around him, there was nowhere to hide, and even if he did he couldn't move for fear of making too much noise.

The footsteps were nearing. They were getting closer, until they were too close. "Who are you?" an old man wearing red stripy pajamas for standing above him. Draco stared at him and fingered his wand. "Get out my house." The man said loudly.

"What's going on?" The voice of a woman sounded from the bedroom. Then there were more footsteps and the woman appeared standing behind the man. Draco took his wand instinctively and pointed it at the man. _Say it_, Draco thought _just say the words._ But they wouldn't come. He was frozen with fright.

The man was started to look scared. "Lucy, call the police." He whispered to his wife. Draco's heart skipped a beat, he'd heard about muggle police and he didn't want them coming.

He turned his wand on the woman. "D-don't move." He stuttered. But the woman started backing away. And it was then that he felt someone watching him. He turned to see Voldemort standing in the doorway, watching him. Draco gulped visibly and turned back to the woman and muttered under his breath. "I'm sorry, _Avada Kedavra._" There was a green blinding light and a scream, the woman fell to the ground. Draco stared at the woman lying lifeless on floor boards. _I just killed an innocent human being_… he thought his hands were shaking and he dropped his wand on the stairs, he was trembling from head to toe.

"_Avada Kedavra_." said The Dark Lord from behind him. There was more green light and a thud as the man fell to the ground next to his life - united in death.

Draco turned still trembling to face Voldemort, he knelt and picked up his wand. Voldemort had a frown on his face. "Disappointing…I thought that maybe we had Lucius back, I suppose I was wrong. But you did manage to kill, it will get easier until you will feel nothing. I don't want to have to be finishing your job again. Now apparate home before the Ministry get here." He turned and strode out of the house. Draco had expected a punishment.

He apparated quickly back to his apartment. He couldn't get the scream out of his head, and the look of the body on the floor. Tears started to fall freely from his cheeks until he broke down, sobbing on the floor. Why had he joined to be a Death Eater? To follow my fathers footsteps he reminded himself quickly. But at that time he didn't know that following his footsteps would have proved so difficult…

--------That chapter was longer then I thought it would be. Hope you liked it. Thankyou again to all my reviewers. Please review!


End file.
